The Inimitable Emil Ztopek, the Greatest Olympic Runner of All Time
"Based on extensive research in the Czech Republic, interviews with people across the world who knew him, and unprecedented cooperation from his widow ... journalist Richard Askwith's book breathes new life into the man and the myth, uncovering a glorious age of athletics and an epoch-defining time in world history"--Dust jacket flap.
Exploring the world of fell-running—to run the ancient, wild landscape and stay a hero within one’s own valley—this portrait of one of the few sports to have remained implacably amateur and utterly true to its roots details the passionate ambitions of those who participate in one of the oldest extreme sports. With personal narrative by one of the participants of fell-running—a sport that little is known about, but one that also boasts mass-participation—this fascinating account of arduous circuits, week-long marathons, and pounding the mountainous trails of the Lake District and Snowdonia is a unique and compelling account of stamina and courage that stretches the limits of belief.
A passionate and inspiring case for runners to get back to nature Richard Askwith wanted more. Not convinced running had to be all about pounding pavements, buying fancy gear, and racking up extreme challenges, he looked for ways to liberate himself. His solution: running through muddy fields and up rocky fells, running with his dog at dawn, running because he's being (voluntarily) chased by a pack of bloodhounds, running to get hopelessly, enjoyably lost, running fast for the sheer thrill of it. Running as nature intended. Part diary of a year running through the Northamptonshire countryside, part exploration of why we love to run without limits, Running Free is an eloquent and inspiring account of running in a forgotten, rural way, observing wildlife and celebrating the joys of nature. An opponent of the commercialisation of running, Askwith offers a welcome alternative, with practical tips (learned the hard way) on how to both start and keep running naturally--from thawing frozen toes to avoiding a stampede when crossing a field of cows. Running Free is about getting back to the basics of why we love to run.
Toy inventor and designer Tom Karen recounts his colourful and creative life through the objects and mementos that have come to define it
WINNER OF THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR Czechoslovakia, October 1937. Vast crowds have gathered to watch the Grand Pardubice steeplechase, Europe's most blood-curdling sporting test of manhood. With war looming, the race has a brutal political significance. The Nazis have sent the SS's all-conquering paramilitary horsemen to crush - yet again - the 'subhuman Slavs'. But Lata Brandisova, a silver-haired countess on a little golden mare, has other ideas...
A transformational quest for the secrets of happy, healthy, whole-life running that will change the way you think about growing older.Colourful, informative and inspiring, The Race Against Time is a story of cold science and heart- warming resilience; of champions and also-rans; of sprinting centenarians and forty-something super-athletes barely touched by age. Its heroes are experts and enthusiasts - scientists, coaches, runners - from many countries, each with a different story to tell.This is a book for anyone who has ever felt the healing power of running - or simply wondered about the effects of ageing. It is both a very personal account of one man's journey from despair to hope, and an exhilarating guide, explaining how timely adjustments to lifestyle and training can slow the progress of physiological decay, while sheer human spirit can, if you are lucky, keep you running happily and healthily, all the way into extreme old age.
Extrémní výzvy, nekonečné asfaltky, nejdražší sporttestery, elevační masky… tak přesně o tom běhání není. Britský novinář a sportovec Richard Askwith hledal způsoby, jak se skrze běh osvobodit. Proto běhá po bahnitých polích a skalnatých srázech nebo se psem za úsvitu. Běhá pro pouhou radost z pohybu. Běhá zkrátka tak, jak je to člověku přirozené. Přidejte se k němu a zahoďte nesmyslné komerční trendy! Čeká vás skutečně odžitá běžecká příručka plná praktických tipů, díky níž budete mít z pohybu opět radost.
